Reflections On The Lake
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"The biggest challenge in the future is going to be the weeds; they are going to keep on spreading. The lake isn’t that deep and all the boat traffic is spreading them around. Luckily we don’t have any exotic weeds like milfoil." Gladys Whitney |
| Weed Watchers Training Reveals 1st Infestation! |
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| Written by PLIA Staff | |
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Prior to this year, Pawtuckaway Lake has never had an exotic species infestation. Through the efforts of the PLIA Lake Host program, which inspects boats at our boat launches for stray weeds brought from other lakes, Pawtuckaway has managed to stay weed free. Early detection and prevention of infestations give a lake a fighting chance to stop the spread of exotic species. During the course of the Weed Watcher training, the students were taken around the lake in a pontoon boat to do some field study. On that trip, Amy Smagula identified three separate clusters of Common Reed (Phragmites australis). This exotic plant often outcompetes other native wetland plants, thus limiting the plant diversity and food source value of the wetland. Amy recommended that the clusters be removed immediately before they had a chance to seed and spread any further. She also recommended that the specific sites be revisited every year to remove any persistent growth. While pulling the weeds out may never fully eradicate them, it will help to stop the spreading. This is the first discovery of an exotic species in our lake. At 7:00 am Saturday morning, Weed Watcher volunteers headed out to remove the first two clusters of Common Reed. The plants were pulled out by the roots, cut up, and placed in black plastic garbage bags for disposal. The weeds grow 3 to 15 feet tall and their 3 to 4 foot roots dig deep in the lake bed. Gary St. Pierre, Steve Soreff, Peggy Tucker, Merideth, John and Tricia Caiati, and Jeff Gurrier turned out to pull and bag the weeds. Garey St. Pierre provided the pontoon boat and Peggy Tucker provided fresh baked muffins and coffee! 
Weed Watcher volunteers attending training: Steve Soreff, Peggy Tucker, Gary St. Pierre, Merideth & Tricia Caiati, Gail Kenney, Jeff Gurrier, and Karen Batchelder.
Cluster of Exotic Species Common Reed spotted between Twin Islands
Gary St. Pierre pulls the first weed
Weed Watcher Volunteers pull the final weed!
Second cluster of Common Reed before removal
Final cluster of Common Reed still needs to be removed. |
Friday evening, July 27th, Amy Smagula of the NH Dept. of Environmental Services conducted a weed watchers training program at the home of Dr. Stephen and Peggy Tucker. Volunteers were trained how to search out and indentify exotic weeds that can infest and overtake a lake.
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PLIA Mission Statement
The Pawtuckaway Lake Improvement Association (PLIA) is a Private, Non-Profit Organization formed to monitor and act upon environmental and safety issues in the Pawtuckaway Lake Watershed area. The PLIA also provides education, information, recreation and other services to its members.
The Association routinely conducts water quality sampling under the New Hampshire Volunteer Lake Assessment program of the State of New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. Other activities (sailboat races, fishing derbies, etc.) may be coordinated by the Association, but are funded by program participants.
